We Will Survive
by WhiteFangofWar
Summary: Von Reichter's lab lies in ruins after Final Confrontation, but no one knows if Cyber Six survived or not. PG 13 for one sex scene in Chapter 6. R&R please!
1. Uno

Disc: I don't own any TV shows, much less one like Cyber Six. Man, that'd be sweet...

M: Hello again, readers. As you probably expect, this Cyber Six romance fic is, like many, set a few days after 'The Final Confrontation'. This kind has been done to death as of late, but I think I've given it enough fresh twists so that you'll be entertained. View it, and then do the other kind of view. Even if it's three or four words, I'll feel better. Time to get this show on the road! ï 


	2. Dos

Disc: Same thing as Chapter 1.

Two

-

The reeds were silent today. Data Seven had no doubt that it was the calm after the storm. He could not make noise as he ran uphill to a dilapidated old mansion- he had a mission.

Wait outside until you find an unlit window, he'd been instructed. It won't be hard- when Jose leaves, the guard will be weak.

As he hid in the bushes outside, another scent came to him, one of gasoline. A truck was speeding away from the mansion entrance. Though it bulged with gray muscle, the black panther would not be surprised if Jose was at the wheel.

He sniffed again, and curled one lip back to reveal his fangs. Big Sis always knew best about this sort of thing. She'd told him everything he had to do to complete this task, because she couldn't bear the thought of his death.

Not that this would be that hard. Even if he was found out, two Fixed Ideas was not something that would frighten him. It would be a scuffle, that's all. He'd been in dozens, many with much worse odds than two-on-one, and deadlier opponents that these brainless brutes that Big Sis mopped the floor with so often.

Data Seven would miss her assistance in battle, if there ever was another.

The final echoes of the noisy motor behind him, Data Seven effortlessly leapt onto the wide awning on the second floor, crashing through the window and onto a floor of creaky boards. Stopping again to listen, he heard a dull grunt from the next room, and readied his claws in the darkness.

One quick pounce later, the guard lay flat on his back with major leg injuries, unconscious. His partner was still happily watching TV five doors down, so for now, he would turn his attention to his real objective.

Sniff. It was here. He could tell the scent was coming from somewhere in this room, if not exactly where. Leaning closer to one wall, Data Seven nosed anxiously through the cupboards to find it, remembering what Big Sis had told him of Jose's incredible carelessness with his father's inventions. She was hoping that extended to the neon green liquid known as Sustenance.

That was the smell. He'd caught from Big Sis sometimes, after a battle. She hated to drink it, but it was the only thing keeping her from the most painful death imaginable.

To willingly face that death... Data Seven could only marvel at that kind of bravery. Sustenance was the key to all of Von Reichter's creations, the life source... and also a leash, which Big Sis had managed to stretch, but not break. He was the sole exception to that rule, and thus could survive for long time even after his demise.

If he could have given his life to save hers, he would have done so without hesitation. As it was, it was tearing him up inside to see her the way she was now.

That was what was causing such hesitation in him, he realized. He could have found the Sustenance minutes ago, but he was procrastinating. The deed he was about to perform- it was second cousin to killing his best friend.

Suddenly confused, he shook his head. All the Sustenance was past the bookcase, within a hidden room just beyond it. He had to destroy it- Big Sis had told him to, but...

The bookcase slid open at his touch. Within it, a circular chamber housed a pillar of metal and glass. Each level housed over thirty of the little vials he was used to- enough to feed Jose's Fixed Ideas for months.

-And enough to keep Big Sis alive for years. It was the only batch of Sustenance remaining. The only one. Once again, revulsion and self-doubt filled him, both of them foreign feelings to Data Seven.

It was what she wanted. She'd told him to do this.

But when that was done... she would be gone. What then? What could he possibly do, alone?

It was suicide.

It was necessary!

Turning away for a moment, Data Seven growled at the pillar. It was just hanging there, innocuous, harmless...

With so much glass making up the canisters, he destroyed the lower half, shredding the smaller vials in moments. The chemical washed over his fur, as it burst from the tubes, giving it a clear sheen. Lunging now for the larger ones, Data Seven closed his eyes and mouth tightly, lancing into bottle after bottle, shattering them. The sharp noise filled him, and he imagined it was Big Sis' life he was shattering, just like the glass.

Due to the height of the uppermost canisters, it took him some extra time to rebound off the walls and into the frame, hitting it again and again. Then, when every single vessel was reduced to broken glass and every drop of Sustenance dumped onto the floor, Data Seven watched it burn from the exit, whimpering sadly at Cyber Six's funeral pyre. The smoke from destroyed floorboards eked out past him, over the fallen Fixed Idea, and out to the window.

Into the sky, he followed the trail of smoke, up into a pink sunset, through the trees until it was blown away, dissipated into the smallest molecules.

Data Seven growled harshly at that. A copter had blown the smoke away. A copter heading out of the ruins of Von Reichter's lab.

Suddenly, he had a very bad feeling. It grew worse even faster than he could put all his energy into sprinting out of the manor and back along the forested path to the ruin. Trees and shrubs whipped by in an instant, and he still wasn't going fast enough.

If they'd harmed her, he would...

It was extremely unlikely that they had gone down there to harm her. She was good as dead already. But if they'd found her hiding spot, a simple cave buried beneath a thick layer of debris, then...

Knowing that he'd come to the proper conclusion, Data Seven roared loudly up to the copter. The bad men deserved death for this abduction, if he could only bring it to them...

Not easy- the copter was moving away from the site at an alarming speed, and was unhindered by cliffs or lakes. Pouring all of his energy into running, Data Seven kept after the aircraft, ignoring the sudden crack of gunfire and the flash of a muzzle. They were trying to shoot him, but at the clip both pursuer and pursued were moving, the chances of actually hitting him were quite slim. A gunshot wound wouldn't stop him anyway, not with Big Sis in the clutches of these thugs. The shots were deafening, nothing more.

Had to keep after them, no matter how fast the copter flew. Less than a mile ahead, there was a tall outcropping of rock, covered in ferns. If he beat the chopper there, Data Seven thought, he could jump at it from the highest peak. It was the only way he was going reach them- after that, the cliffs ended in one final drop to the sea floor. That copter could fly several times faster than he could swim. If they got there, he would lose them.

This far out in the wilderness, there was no sign of human life. Bushes and unkempt weeds that Data Seven would normally have tolerated sprung up in his path, slowing him. A den of raccoons stood up, fright in their marble eyes as Data Seven blew past them in a blink. Now the whole forest was an obstacle course designed to slow him down, to keep him from reaching that cliff in time.

His fangs flashed angrily. NO. He would not let the bad men take Big Sis away. Not now. Not ever. He could do this, if he could just move a tiny bit faster...

Relief creased Data Seven's muzzle as he broke out of the woods and into an open field, gouged by a deep ravine.

It seemed so very wide now. He had to make the jump, or he would lose them. Without even slowing down, Data Seven's paws curled and launched him over it, ignoring the sudden pleading for a rest that came from his system.

He was only halfway across when something else occurred to him- leaping over this ravine would slow him down enough to present a viable target. He had exactly three breaths to dwell on that before domineering noise cut into his rational thought processes, and pain shot into his nervous system, radiating out from the wound. He'd been shot in midair, over water.

Falling...

-

Lucas' eyes flickered open prematurely, and he caught his alarm clock a few seconds before it hit 6:30. Unimpressed by his hammering of the snooze button, it went off anyway, waking up the grouchy tomcat in the next room over.

Morning, and the hole had festered instead of healed. It was all he could do not to lash out in anger at his fellow tenants as they waved to him over a soggy breakfast. They didn't know about Cyber Six, how she'd saved them by giving everything to protecting this city during the darkness of night. She'd even given her life, and still no one knew. No one even cared!

The walk wasn't much better. A cluster of clouds seemed dead-set on blocking the sun, and a light fog was obscuring the streets. Anyone more than a few feet away looked alike, giving Lucas the impression that he was going nowhere in a sea of gray figures.

Was it going to be like this every day, now that she was dead? A painful, agonizing stroll over memories of his lover, wondering what he could have done? He couldn't let it show, he reminded himself sternly. Don't cry. Don't mourn, not in public anyway. Only Lori and Reginald would understand why. Suck it up.

Riding on that resolution, ignoring the steady hardening of his heart, Lucas made through the day. None of the students gave him a hard time, and despite his best efforts to prevent it, he ignored the ones that were having problems.

Lori, he thought as he left through a thin mist of rain. He had to talk to Lori, alone. She knew all about what had been going on, including the truth about Adrian. Surely she was having a hard time coping as well, with the loss of them both.

Feeling a little better as he strode through the rain towards her address, all the emotions he'd been bottling up surged outward when he caught another familiar face loping through the streets.

A black panther. Data Seven wasn't looking at all like his usual self- very clumsy and sluggish, leaning against the occasional wall, causing anyone nearby to recoil from what they probably saw as a dangerous, and possibly rabid animal.

Dangerous, no question about that. But Lucas saw a friend. He rushed to the creature's side compassionately, helping him to his feet paw by paw. Data Seven grunted, wincing in pain as Lucas brought him into a side alley, and once they sat down in relative privacy, he saw the cause of his friend's pain.

Underneath a shining matte of wet fur, there was a hole above the left rib cage, leaking dark blood. Neither man nor beast wanted to seem weak in front of the other, but Lucas' mind brimmed with questions he wanted to ask the only survivor of the confrontation.

And yet... if Data Seven had survived, surely the one he'd give his life for would have as well. For a moment, everything was all right once again with the world, and his heart sang. The hole might as well have not existed. He was back to his old self.

Data Seven, on other hand, was certainly not. His spirit had been injured along with his body, and he remained sullen despite Lucas' best efforts.

He brought his new guest back to his own apartment, foregoing all other concerns like dinner until he could get an answer out of the injured panther who now lay on his bed. Stroking him did not cause him to purr or snarl, and the dim lighting did nothing to help Data Seven's mood. All Lucas could discern from this silent treatment was that he'd been in a lot of action, followed by a thorough drenching- the wound was really more messy than lethal, or else he would have been unable to tend to it himself.

"Here" he said, holding out an open can of spare tuna as he bandaged the panther's wound. "Make yourself at home."

Well, now he'd hit maximum weirdness. Talking to an injured black panther, trying to coax it back to normal, whereas normal was growling, usually wanting to keep him away from Cyber Six/Adrian. They hadn't always gotten along, but now Data Seven was the only one who knew the details behind Cyber Six's survival, if any. That was the information, the answer that he needed with all his heart.

Heck, forget normal. Nearly shredding the bandages he'd just had applied, Data Seven snarled, standing upright, and staring straight ahead, to a picture on the wall.

Lucas wasn't completely sure which picture his guest was looking at desperately until he looked at each of them. One, in the very center, bore him and Adrian, standing together in a photo of the beautiful Meridiana harbor. That was the one, the person that Data Seven was trying so hard to reach.

"Cyber Six" he said to the photo warily. "She's in trouble, right?"

Amazingly, the panther nodded. Whoever had put a metal slug in Data Seven's chest must have been a part of it. Organized men with guns had taken her away, or done something with her. Something that Data Seven could not deal with on his own. If Data Seven, with all his strength could not help Cyber Six, what made him think he could?

"We'll find a way" he suddenly murmur softly to Data Seven, feeling a rush of energy through him as he ran one hand through black fur. "We'll find a way to help her."

-

M: Well, it looks as though the site will be down for a few days (Aug 17-18), so that's just more time to make Chapter 3 even better. That's when I'll finally introduce the REAL villain of this story. 'Till then!


	3. Treize

Three

-

No matter how many times the man known simply as Grant met face-to-face with his benefactor, Lord Marsden, he never ceased to confuse. The older man's brown skin was stout and taut- not exactly fat, but he possessed a wide potbelly common to many of his stature. Over that, he'd always worn a green or blue trench coat of a kind that was never made anymore. That alone spoke of the Lord's power and influence, had it not been apparent through his opulent dwellings.

All Marsden's money could not hide the effects of age- his wiry black hair held a small tinge of grey, and it left the front third of his scalp utterly bald, instead arching down the sides to form a dignified beard from the zenith of another era.

All of that aside, Grant had originally been perturbed by the Lord's other features- features that only a relatively qualified Psychic like himself would notice. Diving into where the man's mind should have been, Grant had time and time again found only emptiness. This was what had originally drawn him to seek the corpulent Lord's employ, and what had intrigued him ever since. No probe would ever unlock the secrets embedded in that mind until doomsday.

"She is unharmed?" Marsden asked, without even bothering to welcome Grant to his private study.

Grant grimaced. As much as he wanted to please this man, saying yes would ignore all the scrapes, bruises and tears left upon Cyber Six's body and clothes. The detonation of the lab had done more than a number on her a few days back, and moving her from it had only worsened things.

"She won't die for while yet, Lord. We brought her straight to the mansion basement- no one saw."

Grant was reinforcing the good in steady tones so he could leave the bad alone. Anyone who had stumbled onto Marsden's men placing the injured Cyber on a stretcher and marching her along the streets had felt a brief spell of dizziness as Grant had plucked the memory straight out of their minds.

Marsden tightened one fist upon his desk before Grant could think of anything else to add. "That's cutting it rather close. I don't think I have to tell you again that this specimen is of the utmost importance to my plans. My men are doing the best they can to preserve it's life. I would preserve it even at the cost of theirs, but..." trailing off, he brought up a small document, feigning curiosity. "...My doctors claim that it continues to writhe and scream at full volume in the face of the best medical treatments they can give. Why is that?"

He knew the answer, Grant knew. He was only waiting for him to say it out loud, so that he knew what his next job would be. Hesitation would only earn him disdain from Marsden, so he plunged on ahead.

"It's the Sustenance, Lord. She's been lying there, in the ruins of that lab for at least four days now, and the only source for Sustenance we know of is gone. If we don't feed her some in the next twenty-four hours or so, well... it won't be pretty."

Marsden broke into a strange, almost toadish smile and cracked his fat knuckles. "And that, my friend, is why I hired you in the first place. Von Reichter is the only man who knows how to create Sustenance- the secret died with him. When a Cyber's nervous system goes without Sustenance for a week or more, it begins to melt. I've studied the diagrams that the good doctor provided us, and there is only one solution now."

Then he got it. He wanted to keep Cyber Six alive, in their custody for as long as humanly possible- it didn't matter that she would be of no use to Marsden physically. He had something else in mind, and Grant had a very solid idea what it was.

Before he tried anything like what he'd just been asked to do, he had to look after number one, what he'd come here for. "So" he said casually over the crackle of a fireplace. "Once I'm done this little job for you, my lord, you can allow me into your inner circle?"

"Once the job is done, I think we can arrange it. The group you speak of will be far more lucrative once your job is done properly. You've made a wise choice indeed."

Looking furtively once again at the man's dark smile, Grant could only wonder what he truly meant by that.

-

Jose's 'night on the town' had stretched into a couple of days. He couldn't help it- eating out was better than the crud his Techno cooked up at home, and hotels and junk food tasted much better when they were free. The same thing applied to the various movies, shows, and arcades he'd visited with his entourage. While they looked exhausted, their master was filled with a manic energy; everything in this city he'd seen so far was his if he wanted it, free of charge. No one dared come too close to the fivesome as they strode down an arched stone bridge over a river, searching for new ways to have fun.

One person, however, dared to whack Jose in the head with a rotten apple from behind, and laugh from his perch on the roof. By the time the sluggish Fixed Ideas whirled about in a rage to see who had thrown it, Julian was out of sight, doubled over in laughter that threatened to give him away.

From another spot along a windowsill, he watched as the four brutish creatures fished Jose out of the river and back onto land. He waited until they were gone, and climbed back to the top with ease, running straight into a pair of yellow eyes that shocked him for a moment. Then, like Lucas, he realized that those eyes belonged to a friend thought dead for far too long.

"Data Seven! You're alive!" he cried out, wrapping his arms around the panther's midsection, causing him to wince in pain. Julian noticed the bandages, and patted him on the head instead. "I really thought you were... you know. After that lab went boom, and..."

Purring again for only a moment, Data Seven focused on some distant point on the horizon longingly. Following his gaze, Julian saw nothing but empty sky.

Yet he knew- somewhere out there in another country, another city, Cyber Six was alive.

-

"It's a miracle she's still alive after a blast like that" Grant thought to remark upon seeing her condition. Behind him on a raised balcony, Marsden did not scowl, and did not need to in order to let his hireling know that he'd spoken callously.

The Cyber was suspended on a blank white table, sans her hat and cape, and a good portion of the black outfit she'd worn was torn away. Titanium shackles held her hands and feet bound to the table like Frankenstein's monster.

Even these, Marsden had explained, might not be able to fully restrain her wild tantrums. That was why she was also separated from the doctors and other viewers by a triple-paned box of laminium, a protective measure more commonly used to hold back an elephant or rhino instead of a woman.

All the protective measures in the world could not guarantee complete safety from a half-mad Cyber, which was the first reason why he'd hired Grant- to pacify the subject when no doctor would risk their life going within ten feet of her to administer a sedative. So far, the protective measures were holding her thrashing, and the box muffled the screaming enough so that Grant could hear his employer speak over it.

"Such a pitiful sight, isn't it? Normally a thing of grace and beauty, this... thing has been reduced to this by the weakness that Von Reichter programmed into it."

Grant nodded and shook his head in wonder, cataloguing the fact that Marsden referred to her as 'it'. "I've seen pregnant women in less distress than she is. I'll begin right away."

Stepping forward to a railing, Grant closed his eyes, allowing his _presence _to flow out beyond it. The minds of the doctors in the next room over reeked of fear, fear of the Cyber, fear of the Lord Marsden.

Cyber Six did not fear. Even as her body was consumed with the agonizing need for Sustenance, her barely conscious mind was content to watch her cell membranes explode. Ignoring her feelings for now, Grant plunged onward. The nervous system was a tangled mess of need, reminding him of the psyche of a drug addict. It longed for the memory of the glowing liquid pouring down her throat, and Cyber Six's mind willed that away.

In order to complete his task, Grant would need to draw upon that memory. He had full access to the nerve endings now, where he couldn't even see his own body unless he looked through the Cyber's eyes, and forced them to stop twitching.

He had no interest in the former, but with a simple memory, he accomplished the latter. With one final frenzy, the Cyber became stiff and motionless on the bed, her conscious self filled with the memory of Sustenance pouring through her. Now her nervous system was being fooled into thinking that she'd just taken a huge dose, but the moment Grant left for his own body again, the screaming need would return.

Instead of leaving, he sat there inside the mind, letting Marsden's doctors do what they'd been hired for. He caught a flicker of distaste, a feeling that came attached to the memory he'd induced, and was unable to stop more memories from pouring forth. The Cyber had hated taking Sustenance, yet she needed it to survive. With Grant's powers simulating the chemical's life-restoring effects, she could be preserved for as long as his concentration lasted.

It wasn't long at all before he heard a far off voice, calling him back to the world of men. Marsden had not moved from his cushioned chair during the entire procedure, and in fact very little had changed on the outside.

The powerful sedatives were working. Grant sensed no more anxiety or need from Cyber Six, only a static-like tranquility. One thin needle had been pushed into each temple by the doctors, who now felt safe enough to place the rest of their equipment in the box, including a heartbeat monitor and oxygen mask.

Grant breathed out huskily. Penetrating someone's mind so deeply like that was never easy, even for someone of his talents. He continued to look at his victim closely, watched the doctors apply a tertiary restraint, a thick plastic shell that covered her from bottom to the full of her neck. The last echoes he'd picked up from her mind slowly faded after they made several more injections through the arms before covering them.

"Congratulations" echoed a deep voice from behind him. "You're every bit as skilled as I've heard. Any sort of psychic talent is an extreme rarity in this day and age, especially one as powerful as you."

Unheeding of the praise, the other man thought back to the memories he'd triggered by accident. Bits and pieces of this woman's history had spooled out to him to see, and he could not get them out. Without speaking, he stalked off to his quarters already prepared by servants. He had a lot more thinking to do.

-

As Lucas had expected, his boss slumped over depressively in the sunlight after hearing his proposal in full, his brown hair trailing over his wooden desk.

"Mr. Amato, If you'll forgive my saying so, you're a bastard."

Trying not to seem overly nonchalant about it, Lucas scratched his head and tried to look as though he didn't want to leave. "I'm sorry, but there's something I've got to look into. I'll use up my entire supply of sick days if I have to."

He didn't want to mention that he would quit altogether if he had to. A job was one thing; a friend was another.

"You're talking like it's a tradable commodity, just like the others" Mr. Greene replied tiredly. "You already know how hurting we are for staff around here, especially after Mrs. Pavel and Mr. Siedelman..."

Upon seeing his gaze slant to the linoleum floor, the boss' tone changed. "I'm sorry. I know that he was your best friend. Go, Lucas. I already have a replacement English teacher lined up- I'm sure we can survive without you for a few weeks now. I understand that a lot of people don't feel safe here anymore- that's why Mrs. Pavel left. Go."

He was no longer looking at Lucas, instead staring off at the sea and sunset. No one could admit to not feeling a pang of fear when that island surfaced out in the bay. There wasn't a soul in Meridiana who hadn't feared for their safety during that time- perhaps it really was time to move on. For real.

"Don't take it hard, sir" he managed before slipping silently out the door. "Sometimes bad things come right to your doorstep, and there's nothing you can do about them."

-


	4. Cuatro

Four

Among a nation or world of famous metropolis, patriot pride, and checkered histories, Meridiana stood out among others only due to its generic white and grey marble structuring. The 'experts', if there were such professionals, would comment on a lack of flavor or vibe. 'The City of the Damned', some wags had called it. Less than eighty thousand people crammed onto a wide bay, and you would be hard-pressed indeed to find the name of the person who had founded it.

Like many others of its type, the city had an underbelly, which Jose had visited more often than any other person his age ought to. This time he came as an assured conqueror, and, as before, he had enough muscle on call to intimidate anyone who might cross him.

"I wish to god" complained a surly voice from a side alley, "that you'd turn that damn thing off."

Not realizing who his friend had just annoyed, another young voice echoed up the marble passage, over the audible din of an archaic stereo speaker. "It's stayin' on so long as we got batteries for the News, Nate; I want to know what they're doin' about that bomb. Can't sleep without it."

"Shit. The money you spend on batteries for that thing, you could spend on food. No point in worrying about a bomb if you're gonna starve, and I'm not giving you any more."

Neither of these two had been looking up for the last twenty seconds, which was all the time required for Jose and his four Fixed Ideas to barge into the alleyway in search of a living being from the darkest corners of the city.

Surveying both of the terrified homeless people with a satisfied smirk, Jose walked up to a youth more than twice his size and pulled off Mr. Potty Mouth's baseball cap. It was a nicely threaded cap, considering what little else these two had hoarded up in their little corner.

"You." he ordered loudly to the other one as 'Nate' wrestled between irritation with Jose and fear of the four hulks behind him. "I want you and your friend to gather everyone for a meeting in the old theatre. Everyone you can find, understand?"

Not sure how to respond to this, the other man looked up and cried out upon seeing one of the muscle-bound creatures holding the stereo above his head. "You can have that back once you do that." Jose chuckled. "Get everyone to the theatre tonight, at midni-"

His sentence was cut off when he saw a black streak darted out from several grimy floors above onto the shoulders of one of his Fixed Ideas. Seemingly rebounding off from that one, it still had the time to shred its shirt, leaving bloody scars.

Data Seven ended his rebound on the pavement between the two boys and Jose's pack, his snarling driving away the people he'd jumped down to save.

"Data Seven" observed Jose in pent-up rage; trying to appear as though he didn't care much. "So you survived. Did you come to join me now?"

A roar that seemed incredibly loud in a confined space like this was his only answer. Jose was unable to order an attack with his hands clenched on his ears in pain, but the Fixed Idea that the panther had mauled earlier didn't wait for his brothers to catch on. He grunted in pain and lunged at a target that was already leaping up and over him, gaining momentum by kicking off the first one's back into the mob.

Without a word to his thugs, Jose panicked and fled the alleyway after seeing those polished fangs and yellow eyes up close. It was, he thought in annoyance, just like the last time he'd tried to gain control of the underworld- Data Seven, sent by his father to eliminate Cyber Six, had betrayed him and destroyed all his plans. If it turned out that way again... he would be completely ruined!

Back in the alleyway, the numerical odds were beginning to gain importance. None of Jose's brutish henchmen were without claw marks on their bodies now, but none of them were down yet. They just kept charging and punching, wearing Data Seven down after having to dodge around so much in this claustrophobic alley. True, they hadn't landed any blows on him yet, but one was all they needed.

Because of this unfavorable situation he'd wandered into, Data Seven was more relieved than alarmed when one Fixed Idea went from flesh to raw hamburger, seemingly cut apart by shadows. A small, powerful knife had pierced him from behind, cleaving him in two as one might cut a melon. Instead of retching as the carnage, Data Seven took advantage of the pause to pin and leap from another Fixed Idea's head to get a better view of what it was that had done it.

Whoever it was, they weren't stopping with just one- two of the massive creatures stared in utter terror as another one of their fellows was killed by a single slash from the darkness, this time launching the knife into and through the exhausted target's torso from behind like a missile.

If he'd been able to, Data Seven would have cursed. This... whatever it was... wasn't here just to aimlessly kill Fixed Ideas- it wanted him, and he would have its undivided attention very soon. Getting out of the alley before that happened would require a four-step jump back to the roof he'd dropped from.

Big Sis could have made the jump without breaking a sweat, but he'd never tried anything like this.

He did not let another stifled death cry distract him, building momentum for a rebound off the left wall onto an awning, then from there to the wall again.

A gentle whistle sounded in Data Seven's ear, and he felt wind from the right created by another knife. For the first time, he could get a look at the weapons that could accomplish in one stroke what his claws could not in three; the transparent edge flickered in the moonlight, caressing a narrow protrusion that ended in a sharp point that was actually the handle. The core of the knife contained some sort of black obstruction that blocked the light, but all in all the entire weapon looked thin as a dime.

Something below him was ascending the right wall as he rebounded again, dodging the knife as it fell downward and another one soared upwards to pierce a window.

One more leap, and he was back on the rooftops. Standing back a few paces from the crevice between buildings, Data Seven waited for his phantom attacker to emerge, bracing himself for a much harder fight than mere Fixed Ideas could provide.

He was not wholly disappointed. After thirty seconds of utter silence, he could safely say that the knife-throwing assailant had disappeared back into the shadows, waiting to strike again at the next opportunity.

Relaxing only a notch, the panther berated himself for not having smelled the assassin earlier. Well, now he would make certain to detect his or her tangy scent from a hundred feet so long as he stayed alert.

The problem was, even that might not be enough.

Lucas checked the clock again and mopped his brow. Not only was he nervous about the journey he was about to make, but his traveling partner hadn't even arrived yet.

If it came down to it, he thought as he watched another train depart from the solid white platform he'd come to, he'd have to postpone. Data Seven could find Cyber Six by scent from an indefinite distance- without him, Lucas had no idea where to begin looking.

Killing time, he checked his things again. Spare outfit, check. Toothbrush, check... he really had no idea how long he would be gone for- for all he knew, the woman he loved was on the other side of the globe, held captive by who-knew-what.

No matter what, Lucas would save her, as she'd saved him countless times. He'd already taken measures to make sure that his friend wouldn't draw too many odd stares, and brought enough of his meager pay to keep them fed for weeks, as well as afford whatever else might be necessary.

_I will see you free again, my friend..._

As though attracted by the sharp whistle of their train making ready for departure, Data Seven sprung onto the platform, about as inconspicuous as a pink elephant, attracting shouts and stares, and dislike all around.

Not bothering to scold someone who he relied on, Lucas tried to herd Data Seven into the rear car, setting all his luggage in compartments before he realized that he'd left the entire case of spare clothing on the platform in his rush. Both panther and conductor ignored his frantic grasping to get out of his seat and back onto the platform- the trip had already begun with a shrill whistle that pierced the slum that marred the nearby slope...

The final death screams of the Fixed Ideas still chilled Jose to the bone, and nearly made him forget about his anger. Now all his plans were ruined- without muscle, he could never seize control of the underworld, much less Meridiana. He was tearing his hair out, stomping down the alleyway, ignoring anyone else in this slum.

All this, because of Data Seven. If it took him forever, he would see that traitorous panther killed. But the small rational part of his brain could not see for the life of him how he was going to accomplish that without his father's inventions.

The cloud of self-pity and red-hot anger the boy had veiled himself in was dissipated by a shrill whistle- down a steep hill at the city limits; another train was pulling out, with more people than usual piling onto it. Even with the threat over, his father's Doom Island had caused a lot of people to question their safety in such a city.

Jose's eyes shot open. There, amidst the crowd, was Data Seven. Someone was ushering him into the train car despite his subtle protests. This train was headed for San Fran, practically a world away from Meridiana!

"No! You won't get away!" he protested loudly from the hilltop. Data Seven couldn't be allowed to just leave here! He had to stay where he could be killed for revenge!

Desperation fueled indignation, causing Jose to sprint down the steep hill at a clumsy half run-half roll, until he was skulking under the platform near the cars. Lacking, just for a moment, any care as to whether it was safe or not, Jose clung to the oily undercarriage of the train as though trying to wring Data Seven's neck. He was still there when the rails beneath him screeched against polished wheels, and the quest to rescue Cyber Six began.

M: Not much to say except for a slight spoiler- the Assassin is pursuing Data Seven as well.

Five


	5. Cinco

Five

Cyber Six did not recall exactly how it was she'd ended up back in her darkened apartment. For the most part, she did not care.

The important things were still there- Meridiana was safe, and the man who would destroy it was gone. Even better than she'd hoped- she was still alive at the end of the day, something she hadn't expected at all when running towards that laboratory where all the trouble had started.

_I can't believe it. I'm actually alive. Everyone is safe now._

In keeping with her mood, the sun was shining surreally bright over the bay, giving her home town an aura of peace, the calm after the storm. The scent of the bay, much like the smell of the streets after it rained, wafted through the window to where her form lay sprawled on the bed in ecstasy.

An insistent knock suddenly came from the door, and it took her a moment to compose herself, barely enough time to get her suit off and a grey T-shirt on, and throughout all of it, the knocking didn't cease its rhythm.

When she finally pried the door open, Lucas stood there in the hall, smiling warmly, with a new note of affection in him that she couldn't place. His golden hair seemed to fuse with the beautiful sunlight coming off the bay, somehow creating the sensation of warmth all over her body.

Realizing that she was gaping, and that her hair was halfway between hair norm and that of her alter ego, she tried to stammer out something that would explain it.

"Uh, hey Lucas! I-I'm just in the middle of-"

Without hesitating a moment more, her friend stepped into the room and felt her over passionately. In his gaze, she could tell that he'd learned the truth, probably from Lori.

"You're not angry after I kept it from you? After I convinced you she was mine?"

Still so warm, he radiated compassion and feeling for the one whom he'd stepped near the bed with. "No. I'm just so glad you're alright. After Lori told me, yeah, I was shocked. But I nearly broke down after seeing that explosion. I had to find you."

With that, she knew it was safe to drop all pretenses. A great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, one that had grown with the heightening of their emotions at every meeting. Someday he would have to find out, she knew, and now the revelation had been completed in as smooth a fashion as possible. He was taking it very well.

Not feeling afraid to drop onto the spring bed, Lucas stargazed at the ceiling in wonder and hope. "So he's gone? The guy who made that Island?"

She nodded in grim pleasure, mixed with the pleasure of finally coming clean with him. "Yes. Von Reichter is dead, but not by my hand. His other creations killed him after he offered me the freedom from Sustenance in exchange for joining him. But I would rather die."

Lucas took time to absorb all this new information spewing forth from her, and in the time it took for him to mull it over, her thoughts turned momentarily to harsher realities. Without Sustenance, without her creator, her days were numbered.

That was a tiny dark splotch amidst a garden of silver lining- she would not allow it to ruin her remaining days, days that were the closest thing to paradise for her as could be.

They still had their home, and they had each other. That was all that mattered.

Lord Marsden frowned slightly over his tea from heart of his study. "You're certain of this?"

Already regretting proposing this idea, but knowing that this was the only man that could do something about it, Grant unconsciously bowed to his host. "If the reward is ample, I'll do whatever it takes. I think it might be possible."

And yet, even his benefactor didn't really know what emotions Grant had glimpsed during his dive into the Cyber's mind. For the last day or so, it had driven him crazy, chipping away like a steadily dripping leak. He'd requested several times to repeat his performance, which only helped to maintain the illusion to her nervous system- as far as the Cyber's smell or taste or touch sense was concerned, she was hale, whole, and healthy. He'd drawn more and more memories from the subconscious mind, and now knew as much about the woman's battles against her creator as she did.

"In her time spent in Meridiana" Marsden suddenly asked, "did she ever suspect anyone else behind the happenings in that city besides Von Reichter?"

The tough old snake still had a few surprises left that Grant didn't know about despite all his talents, but it was only a matter of time until that was no longer the case.

Until then, they were on the same side. He smiled. "No. She held him responsible for every strange creature that showed up. I wouldn't call it obsession, but she certainly had one colossal hate for her maker... which is why I've come to you with this idea now. Whatever you wanted with your subject- which is none of my concern yet- it can't possibly be more appealing to you than having the only remaining Cyber in the world under your control!"

"IF you can pull that illusion off" the other man mused. "If not, I'm no worse off than I started. Go ahead with the next dream, but I want updates on what you're doing. I'll make whatever changes are needed to your plan. If it works, I'm going to make you a very rich man."

Both smiled, both with very different reasons to.

Names of cities, states and countries were meaningless to Data Seven. He only knew directions, and what direction Big Sis was in. That sense was accurate to a room, but its lack of definition made it frustrating for Lucas.

For one thing, he had no idea how far the trail would take him- across the sea, very possibly. They only had a finite time before the trail would go cold, and all hope of finding Cyber Six would be gone.

As a result, the pair was occasionally at odds aboard the cramped passenger car, with Data Seven annoyed at being treated like Lucas' exotic pet in front of the others. No one else had a black panther as a pet, and the only other feline aboard shrank into its petite cage in fear.

"It's going as fast as it can, buddy" Lucas assured his traveling companion quietly, ruffling his fur delicately, "and you might be able to go faster, but I can't. Look, you need someone to help you get over international waters. Once we get to the country she's in, you can go on by yourself if you have to- but remember that I'm on this trip too, okay?"

Seemingly satisfied by this for now, Data Seven ignored the faint trail of scent particle pointing in a completely different direction, and concentrated instead on the banging underneath them. Something must have come loose, Lucas had reasoned. They would repair it after the next stop in the countryside.

Despite everything, he was enjoying himself. The forests and ravines in this area were always pleasant to the eye, with few roads or buildings to spoil the view. This was quite close to the area where he and Adrian had taken a field trip once... and where Adrian had wound up injured, probably fighting another opponent who had wanted to kill the woman who Lucas hadn't known was Adrian's other self.

Stupid, again. Many memories of either person reminded him of the other, now that both were inseparably blended together in his mind. So much made too much sense- he'd never seen them together in person, and yet continued to try and learn more about the woman he loved through Adrian Siedelman, and never even guessed it until that fateful night.

Well, he decided, no more lies. They were one and the same, and he would just have to deal with that.

He was on the precipice of dozing off under the hazel sunlight when Data Seven suddenly sat up from under the seat and _roared_. He easily scared everyone else in the car, and caused the one sitting above him to tumble over, dazed.

"C'mon!" he scolded the panther warily. "I'm trying to get some sleep here. It's a long trip, why don't you-"

He only got that far before Data Seven bowled him over onto the floor once again. Even groggy as he was, Lucas could not mistake the sound of glass shattering, and at two different windows. Something had shot in and out of the car all in one motion, flying right where his head had been moments earlier.

Without pausing to check on him, the panther sniffed again and charged out the window opposite from Lucas.

"Excuse me" he muttered time and time again, trying to make his way to the back of the car in with something approaching a jog, ignoring the conductor. He could already hear the whistling of some sort of projectile from above, this time turned to Data Seven's destruction.

When his feet clanked out on the cab walkway, he climbed the ladder while crouched down to avoid any more of the blades that had shot through the car, ignoring the blisters he'd created on his hands as a result.

Not such a great idea. The wind created by the train's momentum made climbing anything extremely difficult. Well, difficult for him... Data Seven was standing on the far end of one of the train car roofs, snarling angrily at another who was able to withstand the incredible gusts with no problem whatsoever, his back turned to Lucas, unawares.

From behind, he looked human enough. Dark skin stretched over taut muscles along his narrow back, and his snow white hair flowed down the back like a voluminous cape, cut short at the neck. At his waist hung what looked like a vine, which harbored at least ten more of the knives that he'd used to assault the train car. It was those strange knives that Data Seven had detected, and was determined not to get a closer look than he already had.

Unable to move back down without making noise, Lucas watched in pained fascination as the train clattered past a tangle of trees and into open countryside, interrupted by only the occasional ridge or underbrush, and held his breath.

Only one of the two beings perched atop the roof would be getting off at the end of the line, and he would not dare to lay money either way.

M: I was just finishing this chapter when I remembered a character from a book I read once that is basically just like the type I thought up for the knife-wielding assassin- Raven from Snow Crash. Suffice it to say, the next chappie may be a bit late since I'll have to come up with a brand new background for him. That, plus College begins for me in just two more days... wish me luck.


	6. Seis

M: About the question I got as to Meridiana's location: Personally, I always got the idea that Meridiana was an anonymous city somewhere in the USA a la Gotham City. However, there isn't a whole lot of information given during the show (never read the comic) concerning the specific location of Meridiana, so I foolishly assumed that since it features a nice harbor and a wide bay, it's near one side or the other of the USA. Please don't discount this Fic because I was unaware of certain facts, but thanks for noticing my mistake.

---

Six

---

Data Seven felt the wind slide through fur and knew that this was a terrible place to fight. The wind was blowing towards the dark-skinned assassin's claim at the back of the train car- like fighting in a wind tunnel. Best to put some breathing space between him and the other human before trying to fight, he decided.

With one provocative snarl, he retreated along the bright white roofs, bringing the scar-faced human with him. He might have mistaken Data Seven's retreat for cowardice, but the man was quite athletic, able to barely make the leaps in the face of the wind. He could not keep up the pace, and soon Data Seven indulged in a bit of arrogance as the Assassin ran on from three cars behind.

Not content to simply follow the panther's trail, he showed no emotion as he flung another of his home-made daggers on a coruscating impact course, too fast to dodge.

At the last second, the car slewed to the left on a sharp track curve, causing both combatants to nearly fall off. Another invisible projectile sliced into an arboretum to Data Seven's right, which distracted him as his opponent closed on the final car.

For all his speed, the man's reaction time was not up to par; Data Seven pounced on him the moment he reached the roof, sinking fangs into what looked like moccasin cloth covering his arms. He screamed into the deafening gale, but the pain hadn't made him surrender.

Instead, he hauled out another knife to slash across the front. Unable to dodge in any direction save one, Data Seven leaped back, but still lost a few black hairs on the wind. He followed with another slash for good measure to keep him at bay like some circus animal from the ring.

His attacker might have wanted it that way, but Data Seven ended the similarities by jumping backwards over a branch he'd been hiding from view with his torso. It burst into the man's gut like a heavy weight wrestler, propelling him back onto the next car.

Data Seven sniffed. _He's bleeding from somewhere. Just have to stay away from the strange teeth he throws._

His recovery was surprising considering their location- he was suddenly up again, brandishing a new weapon aside from the glass daggers; a more conventional whip with a nasty-looking ball at the end. He wielded the rubber pommel with ease, lashing the gap ahead as if daring Data Seven to come closer.

He did, but not in the way he target expected. He took another high leap from mid point, and landed sleekly behind him on the other side, biting into the whip before it could strike him. Ignoring the vise it was caught in, the tip went on to wrap about Data Seven's back right paw, immobilizing it, and leaving one of the human's hands free to bring out the knife for the kill.

They were right over the bridge Data Seven had seen coming earlier when both made rapid moves to kill the other. The human slashed down at the head of his prey, while said animal sprung back with both of his free paws in seeming slow-motion, jerking the whip free and knocking him off-balance for a fatal few seconds.

Ignoring the whip and man's cry, Data Seven did not hesitate. This BAD MAN had tried to kill both him and his friend. He might even have something to do with Big Sis' kidnapping, but interrogation was impossibility. He gave one last claw swipe, and the man disappeared into the river below.

It was then that the fatigue of the fight hit him, and Data Seven allowed himself to collapse upon the roof, oblivious to whatever might come next...

---

Adrian Sidelman had taken to his work with renewed enthusiasm after his miraculous survival. As much as he tried to hide it, he knew several students suspected something was wrong- 'he' wasn't himself these days.

None of them could ever guess why, because none... well, one knew the identity underneath, or more precisely, what that alter ego had done with Lucas for the past few nights. Miraculous. Entrancing. They could not turn back from it, and so they repeated what had almost become routine for the night in Adrian's apartment...

"Oh. Ohhhh... that was wonderful. Thank you, Lucas."

"I was about to say the same thing. These last few days... they've been like paradise."

He laughed out loud from the bed. "And in Meridiana. Who'd have thought it?"

In turn, Cyber Six let out a half-giggle. "So this is your first time too? No wonder that wolf-woman had it so easy with you."

Heavy rain had broken out beyond the window, leaving only a candle to provide the only light. Considering that, it was surprisingly strong in the room, illuminating their spot.

_Yes. _She thought, _like this. Every day until I die. I love this man too much to hurt him now. I'm glad I got the chance to experience this before going... almost like a real human woman could do._

The light was strong, but the shadows grew long. So it was not until the third prescience in the room moved closer that the light shone off his gun and caused Cyber Six to sit upright in bed, stark naked. Both she and her partner were more than startled to see a yellow monocle glaring out of the darkness, and black hair much like his creation's sprouting from above it.

Paralyzed by the utter impossibility of the situation, Cyber Six was slow than she should have been. It gave the very much alive Von Reichter enough time to smirk and drive a corkscrewing bullet straight past her.

Lucas did not cry out in pain, or grunt. He simply fell from on high, down to the wooden floor length by length, obviously not wanting to leave the world yet.

Not a chance for another miracle. With a simple metal slug, the man standing before a weeping Cyber Six had accomplished what all his creations could not. A second shot would finish the job.

He hesitated for some unknown reason, watching his most advanced creation on the floor with Lucas' body, feeling him franticly for a pulse and finding none.

Two more seconds in the pounding rain, and Cyber Six looked up at him. Something had to break.

The scream that tore out of her mouth was not an animal howl or that of one gone mad, but of a woman who had at last found some semblance of a happy, peaceful life, only to lose it all in a flash... and who now had the destroyer of her happiness back in her sights.

---

Jose stumbled out from the greasy undercarriage of the train dizzy, and immensely glad that the trip was over. Clinging to the train through the muffled air was as unpleasant experience as he ever wanted to have, and his only entertainment had been hearing the sounds of Data Seven's fight. Now he'd lost sight of the one he wanted to chase down, and couldn't find him in the swirling crowd around the platform.

They were in a much larger city that Meridiana, and he couldn't tell one street from another. Instead, he practically leaped to the top of median to scan the crowd, and found who he was looking for. In what Jose saw as the ultimate disdain for the child he'd nearly killed, Data Seven was walking away from the train, making tiny changes to try and jury-rig the injuries he'd received. The whip had rubbed his flesh raw at the leg, and worn it down close to the bone, and nothing Lucas had brought could help.

Now, he thought gleefully, was the time to try and get revenge. He'd show that traitorous animal that no one made a fool of him and lived.

With that, he took a pratfall down to street level, attracting a few odds stares. He glared back and pompously walked out of the station. Data Seven and Lucas still didn't turn, both of them simply trodding up the street to a hotel. For a moment, Jose wished he'd brought his two remaining Fixed Ideas to help- they could simply push through the crowd and grab the human and wounded panther with little trouble. As it was, he'd have to make do on his own- something he'd never done before.

More apprehension brought him to a halt, momentarily halting his anger. Was what why Data Seven hadn't turned around to attack him? Because he thought that he was helpless without Fixed Ideas or Technos to help him?

He wanted to run up and scream, to show him and the world that they were wrong, but the truth of that realization was too fresh to ignore.

_Just you wait, everyone. Especially you, father. You think you've made me helpless by keeping me as a child. I'll prove you wrong, and kill them both in the process! Somehow... Someway... I'll be greater than you! I swear it!_

---

M: This chapter is short for all the reasons I stated in Chap 5. On a side note: does anyone know how to make paragraph gaps in the new ffnet format? I've tried everything, but all the separate narratives stay too close together for my liking. Thanks in advance, and REVIEW PLEASE.


	7. Siete

Seven

---

As Lucas had feared from the start, being around so many unfamiliar people made Data Seven more than a bit antsy. He would break off despite his wounds, checking this person and that for scents. Seeing as how he'd just saved his life, Lucas couldn't complain. They only tolerated such large crowds because this was the closest city with an Airport.

Oh man, the airport. That wasn't going to be easy for Data Seven to cope with- Lucas still couldn't decide if giving him tranquilizers for the journey was a necessary move or the betrayal of a friendship.

_This is to save Cyber Six, _he thought to himself. Data Seven could surely put up with being locked in a cage for a few hours if it meant getting to her. He'd just have to stay with him the entire time until all pets were put in the cargo area.

As for Lucas himself, he had not experienced flight for six years, and nothing he'd seen or heard had convinced him it would be an enjoyable journey, or anything but a necessary leg of their quest.

First things first, he thought as both walked into a wide street featuring multiple apartment buildings. A stopover here, and then, once Data Seven was strong enough, onward to the flight he'd reserved after checking with his friend.

He thought for a moment. Geography was never his strong suit, but he knew that the closest northeast location not on this continent was somewhere near the United Kingdom. Hopefully there, they would finally find some answers.

---

The man who had appeared from the shadows to pierce Lucas' heart with a bullet wasted no more time in traversing his aim to the one he'd meant to kill, malice intent in his laughter and poise.

All at once, her eyes snapped back into focus from infinity, and she flew away from the shot faster than any human could track. She did not notice the vulnerable lack of garment, or question how it was that Von Reichter had survived. All she wanted was how to kill him for good.

Pantomiming an eagle, she swept downward from the curtains in her own room, aiming a straight punch into Von Reichter's jaw. He wasn't fast enough to shoot, and was knocked to the floor by her rage. Before he could stand, Cyber Six doubled back off the wall to strike again, and dropped into more traditional physical combat style.

Von Reichter was a genius, but his physical prowess was nowhere near that of any of his creations. Before he could react or shout, she slammed him noisily into a wall with both arms and shot a snap-kick into his neck, knocking the wind out of him. He could not hit the ground- she would not let him. Not after all he'd done.

And yet, what had started as a fall turned into a tuck-roll away from her. Something in his lab coat pocket hissed loudly, and the room was suddenly consumed with grey mist. It didn't last long, sucked out of the room by the storm in less than ten seconds, but ten seconds was enough for him to disappear without a trace.

Cursing bitterly, Cyber Six ran through the cloud, hoping to pick up a trail, a scent, something... but he was gone, off the open balcony that she'd knocked open earlier.

Without care as to who saw her, Cyber Six broke down on the balcony amidst the rain and permitted a few more tears to slide down to the edge of her face. The rain washed those away. The screaming need for justice, clear as Sustenance pangs, remained. No rain would wash that fire out of her heart.

Only one thing could do that. Trembling ever-so-slightly, she moved to don a silky black cape and cowl- one she never thought she'd use or need again, until today. Gloves on, hat on. Only one thing would wash the pain away- Von Reichter's blood.

Fully suited, she lanced out into the heart of the rain and lightning, in search of the man she would kill, or die trying.

---

Sensing the burning anger rising to a crescendo of hate, Grant opened both eyes wide and nodded. "She's ready. Wake her up."

The orderlies around him didn't budge, instead looking to their boss for confirmation. He looked back at the med ward around him solemnly, and regarded Grant dubiously. "Once again, I'm being asked to trust you. You're sure that she is as flexible as I wanted her, then I shall test her face-to-face. If she goes crazy and tries to murder everyone... well... you'll be in there too."

With that, he signaled to the chief doctor, who, from behind three layers of protection, shot 12 ccs of adrenalin into the Cyber's system through her temples, and withdrew them just as quickly.

Tentatively, in full knowledge that they were waking up the proverbial sleeping dragon, another man hit the trigger to shed the riotously tight cocoon of laminanium they'd spun around her on the table which had held her erect for nearly three full days, both arms coming out of the holes, while the rest simply lifted clear off the frame.

Neither of the two men who were within reaching distance of their subject showed the other any fear. They would have been insane, Grant thought to be absolutely fearless on the inside. There was always the slightest chance that he'd messed things up, that the fierce hatred he'd ignited into a roaring pyre would extend to all of them by association.

He held his breath as the last of the shell lifted, and Cyber Six fell to the floor knees-first, both eyes closed tightly into a slumber that had lasted nearly 100 hours.

"Rise and shine, sleeping beauty" he whispered to no one in particular. After the last few days, he could no longer deny that he felt a great attraction to this woman who's mind he'd completely permeated and rearranged. She had no secrets from him, and he was very much in love. Perhaps now, with that Lucas Amato person out of the picture in both reality and the fantasy he'd generated, there was a chance for them together.

He was greatly looking forward to sharing all his secrets with her as well.

The Cyber was still lying down, and Lord Marsden's men began to worry if they'd pulled the sedatives too late. Their boss certainly didn't feel like waiting around for several hours for their subject to wake up from dreamland.

One of them was just about to stammer a halfhearted excuse when the woman's eyes shot open, fully alert. The pyre still burned, and she was standing up with a manic energy to her movements even as Marsden looked her over carefully before trying to communicate.

"Cyber Six" he tried, seemingly thinking back to the script. "I heard about Mr. Amato... I'm very sorry."

He hadn't done a very good job of feigning compassion, but she didn't seem to notice that, or anything else save for the fat man in front of her, and the fact that her object of desire wasn't here.

"I want to help" he continued placatingly as she stepped forward, doubly concerned that Grant had made a mistake. "I know that Von Reichter created several artificial duplicates of himself, to try and escape you. I've managed to track down one of them, and it might be the real thing."

A black gauntleted-hand was suddenly at Marsden's throat, choking the life out of him. "Where is he?" ventured a steely voice, Cyber Six speaking for the first time in a week. "Where is Von Reichter?!"

Despite his predicament, Marsden seemed oddly calm and satisfied. "Of... course" he coughed. "He's at the... St. Elizabeth Cathedral, in London. I... only want to... help."

Releasing him, Cyber Six strode through the protective measures that swung open before her, eyes still half-shut. "Thank you." she breathed, and darted out of the mansion with vengeance in her eyes and spirit.

Marsden dusted himself off, tightened his tie, and smiled at her fading form, then at Grant.

"Mission accomplished. Come with me, and we can discuss your position in my inner circle."

---

M: Another short chapter, but I think I got the point across. Before anyone asks, Grant is not a Psycho Mantis-style telekinetic. His only abilities are to dive into minds and generate psychic illusions.


	8. Ocho

M: The only excuse I can offer for being so late with this chapter is the usual- Part-time Job and College put together. Meh.

---

Eight

---

Compared to the horror stories he'd heard at work, the preparations for the flight to the southwest was unusually smooth. He simply plunked down his ticket, waited half an hour for the boarding call, and sorted out with the airport officials the idea that Data Seven would not need tranquilizers for the journey ahead.

"Sir" one of the younger employees had blandly protested. "Please. It's procedure. I know your pet... jaguar... seems calm now, but when we take off, he'll thrash around and damage the cargo. You have to understand."

"No, I'd trust him with my life. He's fine." That was the truth- Data Seven might have the outer appearance of a black panther, but he was far smarter than any animal. He wouldn't panic just because he would be stuck in a large cage for several hours.

"Okay." He continued, as something occurred to him. "Tell you what. I'm so confident that my friend won't cause any trouble that I'll pay personally for any damages."

In part, this was a con job. They wouldn't be able to contact him after he got off the plane- he would be traveling abroad for the next few days tracking down any lead as to where Cyber Six had been taken. It wasn't purposeful; he just didn't have a cell phone was all. All the same, the manager seemed adamant on following procedure- either Data Seven would take the tranquilizer, or he wouldn't be coming.

In the end, Lucas decided to cave in, just to get moving. He apologized as best he could, and stayed with him as the physician applied the tiny needle to black fur.

Two hours later, he could look down upon endless seas and wondered where Cyber Six was, a little guilty for traveling in such comfort while she suffered. _ Of course, we really have no idea why she was kidnapped in the first place. What does it matter? The point is that she was taken unwillingly after performing the bravest act I've ever seen. _

_Wait a second. If she was back at the lab all along, why didn't she come back to Meridiana? Was she that badly hurt?_

Skritch, skritch, skritch.

His eyes widened in annoyance. Whatever that noise was, it was coming from somewhere above him, possibly a loose rivet or whatever. That was the last thing he needed right now- he was so sick with worry that he couldn't even eat when the steward stopped by, ignoring the fact that he hadn't eaten since morning.

Skritch, skritch, skritch.

It sounded close, as though right in the baggage compartment over his head. Could it be that someone actually put their pet aboard the passenger deck when he hadn't?

Bang. Bang. Now he was sure it was coming from the overhead compartment, and a few other people were looking up in wonder. Something was rattling it, trying to break out. Waiting ten breaths more, Lucas stood to find the source of the rattling and pried the guilty compartment open.

One more bang, and he was staring straight into a familiar face. He immediately stood higher, tightened his face and shouted.

"You!?"

"You?!"

Jose had yelled at the same time, neither totally knowing the other's name, only that the other had been on the side of their enemies for the last few months. Wrestling him out of the compartment he'd been uncomfortably wedged into, Lucas held him down into an empty seat, knowing full well that this kid was twisted as they came.

It wasn't long before everyone nearby took notice as Lucas held the squirming kid down. He wasn't sure what to say when the steward came back, only that he couldn't let Jose out of his sight for a moment- he was already viciously biting the bigger man's arm to get loose, and the pain nearly caused him to cry out. Suddenly, the kid reached back and removed something tiny and glowing from his green-beige shorts and flung it.

The absence of the arm that he reached to stop the glass vial was the opening Jose needed to squirm out of his grasp and dart down the aisle... right into the steward. Picking himself up, he ran even faster, but now Lucas was coming down the aisle after him, trying not to lose sight of him, but slowed down noticeably by avoiding all manner of civilian with his larger frame.

Data Seven was still tranquilized- it was up to him to stop whatever mischief that little brat was up to. Even if Jose had somehow managed to stuff a Fixed Idea into the compartment with him, it wouldn't help him now. He ran on, driven faster by the possibility that Jose might be connected to the kidnapping.

---

Newly christened 'lord' Grant left the mansion's quarters in a thoughtful mood. It did not require a lot of focus to keep the nervous system of his subject deceived, leaving him free to form opinions of his new colleagues.

From afar and hidden in shadows, there were very few ways to tell Marsden apart from the 'lords' that he'd introduced him to, except that Marsden was fat and had toned skin. They called themselves The Fathers of Bloodward, and the impressions he'd received by reading their dark minds gave him much to dwell on.

Not one of them was younger than forty, that much was certain. They had all been dressed in the same style as Marsden- classical. Though they held no discernible power of their own, he had managed to learn of at least ten major branches of shady activity controlled by them, none of the clueless thugs any the wiser as to the five or six common masters they served. It was a vast crime cartel controlled by a handful of 'gentlemen', plain and simple, with the end of their agenda being nothing less than total domination.

Caressing the violet-tinted curtains tentatively, he put them aside and thought of someone far more pleasant- Cyber Six. Resisting the urge to reach out with his mind and find out how she was faring had distracted him all throughout the meeting. Now, with rain just beginning to blot the window, she was no doubt fully enraptured in the illusion he'd helped to create. Would he even have time to pay attention to her once he'd settled into his duties as the seventh 'Father'?

The ghostly empty hallway yielded no answers, and never would. He would simply have to wait for her return with bated breath. With his new peers, plus that gorgeous Cyber at his side, he would be happy for the rest of his life.

---

Jose had already lost all feeling in his legs by the time he'd managed to elude his pursuer, but hiding below decks wouldn't help. He was lucky even to be here- the lock on the compartments below was stuck fast, and it had taken his second tiny vial of Sustenance to burn through it. Now he was down to one, hidden on his third pocket, only the size of a pencil. He gasped as he pushed through into the dark space below the passenger deck, and looked around in fear before realizing exactly where he was.

He'd stumbled into the deck where the animals were kept. Through the stifling darkness illuminated by his final vial, he could see cats, dogs, and birds all keened over into blissful sleep.

His eyes stopped tracking when he noticed a massive hump of black fur in the largest cage. The yellow slits that were normal Data Seven's eyes were shut tight into dreamland, his tail curler about in a defensive posture.

Some good luck at last. He grinned. His object of revenge was totally helpless now- helpless against his wrath!

He looked again and gave a half-sigh. The only problem was figuring out how to do it. He had no knives or firearms to use, and even the last vial would only burn away some of the mongrel's fur.

He'd have to find a way to dump him off the plane. Yes, that would do it. Tiptoeing around to a hatch on the side, he struggled with the small hatch on the left before realizing two things- it was locked even tighter than the door to the cargo deck, and that he would have to be far away before opening it. The wind whistled a reverie through the dank chamber, causing him to shiver not with delight, but with chills.

Thirty seconds later, he was better prepared- the age was pressed against the hatch to fall out once he blasted it open. He couldn't resist walking up to taunt Data Seven one last time, none-too-delicately plucking one whisker from the right side. Disappointingly, he still didn't wake up.

_Oh well. Hehehe... At least I can take some consolation knowing that he'll die the worst way possible for a cat- by drowning. Say goodbye, Data Seven!_

He had the vial in position to throw when a much stronger and burlier hand grabbed his arm and held up three feet off the ground, staring into the angry face of Lucas Amato.

A strained look of innocence crossed his face. "Uh... hiiiii."

Not missing a beat, Lucas reached behind him and pulled the last vial from his hand. "Can I see your passport?"

Unable to fake it anymore, Jose screamed as loudly as possible and squirmed again to get away, but Lucas held him tight. Relaxing only slightly, he shoved his face into the large man's, jutting out his jaw. "I demand that you let me go! NOW!! I'll make you regret it later if you don't!"

"You're in no position to be threatening anyone" answered Lucas. "Now, come with me. If you keep quiet and play along until the end of the flight, I'll let you go, alright? Until then, just pretend you're my nephew or something." He did not want to say 'son', the thought was so revolting.

Obviously not wanting to give in after coming so close, he thrashed about some more, achieving nothing and again cursing the genetic limit his father had placed upon him. It was that limit that kept him from wrestling out of this smelly man's grasp.

Finally, after nearly half an hour of halfhearted attempts at escaping, Jose quieted down, realizing how helpless he was in the grip of a full-grown man.

"Don't take me lightly" he snarled, and finally lifted both arms up, and stopped biting Lucas. "When we land, I'll kill that fleabag."

By now immensely tired of the boy's threats and insults, Lucas now held him with one hand, mumbled "yeah right", and marched up to the passenger deck to explain the broken lock. "My nephew got excited, you see..." he explained sheepishly to a pair of glaring officials. "He wanted to go see his pet, so he busted the lock, but he won't cause any more trouble... WILL you now?" At this, he lifted Jose up two feet to glare a copilot in the eyes.

"Yeah."

Lucas sighed. As much as he disliked this, it was only way to keep this rotten brat off their backs for a while. He was too young for juvie hall, and too old... not to mention WAY too violent to just leave on someone's doorstep... An enduring compromise was the best he was going to get for now. Hopefully, without any of those big green guys with him, he would remain nothing more than an annoyance.

And yet somehow he knew, even that was too much to hope for.

_Hold on, Cyber Six. We're coming..._

---

It struck the red-haired informant named Reginald as more than a little ironic that the person who'd been sent to kill him had tracked him to a church. Had it been 200 or even 100 years earlier, he would have joyously cried out 'Sanctuary!' and left it at that.

It wouldn't work now. The Fathers of Bloodward wanted him dead before he could blab, and not even the house of The Lord would stop them.

Darkness and rain shrouded the place, save for four symmetrical candles on the sides. The priest at the podium knew Reginald from the past, and knew to leave him well enough alone- Reginald was not what you could call a heavy religious man. Someone involved as he was with detective work in the darkest corners of London could afford to dispense with all association with the church... yet he still believed in his heart of hearts that something else watched from a higher plane... and would not be at all pleased with what he saw right now.

The church's two massive gonglike bells rung out, seemingly to announce a new arrival. He looked from to side to side, but could not see anyone... then he relaxed upon the bench into his trench coat, finally lowering his gun. Maybe he'd given the black-cloaked figure the slip in the rain.

Maybe not. Still, it did him a world of good to know that The Father's most talented killer, the Aleut with the daggers- was not on his trail. They'd sent someone else, possibly a fresh recruit without any real field experience, to rub him out. That inexperience was a blessing for him tonight. He could lay low until this new guy had given up, and make his way to the safety of the police station. Until then, he would welcome the short rest in a place he felt more comfortable than most in, actually smiling at the priest.

Another gong... and just after that, a crackling sound that untrained ears would miss. Reginald held back any sort of curse and turned to get away at a brisk pace- the killer had obviously broken through the upper windows to get at him.

_He's fast. Maybe three, four minutes since I sat down and he's all over me. I've got to be careful..._

The danger was closer than he thought. Reginald was six feet from the thick wooden doors when another window shattered and the black-cloaked figure vaulted from ceiling to carpet. Too slow to react, the priest simply fainted at seeing such an obviously deadly person here.

Reginald, on the other hand, leapt back in surprise after his first look up-close, bringing his gun to bear- the one who'd been tracking him all this time was actually a strikingly pristine, black-haired woman, whose cape and outfit conformed to her like the skin of an eel.

Faster than he'd dreamed possible, the strange woman lashed out with one leg and hit the gun from his hand as it went off. Raw pain surged through him from the arm- he'd gotten his hand caught in the trigger guard, and her kick was incredibly strong. Sensing that this woman was even more lethal than the Father's former professional, he sprinted back up the hall... only to be caught halfway down as the woman somehow jumped over him and to the other side all in one motion.

_This is impossible... how could she-_

No more time for thought- the woman softly whispered "this is for Griselda and Terra", and then hit him in the face onto a side bench... which then broke said bench... and the one after that, and the one after that...

Blood and fear mottled Reginald's vision, and he knew he'd broken at least one rib. If he could just crawl back to the gun on his sprained ankle...

"This is for Lucas."

She did not give him even that much time, pulling him up onto his feet by the hair and prepared to finish it. Reginald closed his eyes- he had very few regrets, save for the fact that he could not continue his work. This was the best place to die from among a smorgasbord of dark alternatives.

Another harsh, rattling whisper filled his mind even as he gave up on ever using his eyes again.

"And this..."

She'd ceased putting pressure on his spine, leaving it halfway destroyed. Instead of a death crack, he heard the fluttering of the cape, and then the gong he was staring up at in wonder. The woman was nowhere to be seen.

Human intervention... or divine? He would never know.

---

M: (For Bacner) Never heard of Mastermind from X-Men. Maybe I'll look him up.


End file.
